What is the PULS GAME JAM?

Are you ready to put your game design skills to the test? The 48-hours PULS GAME JAM is here, and it’s your chance to create something awesome while competing for €2,500 in cash prizes! 

Work with a team of up to five people from March 14th to 16th on a special theme. Hosted by PULS – the youth-oriented media service by Bavarian Broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk. We are a part of the german public broadcasting network ARD.

All important steps of the game jam will be streamed live on the ARD twitch chanel: https://www.twitch.tv/ard

More Infos to come, join the PULS GAME JAM now to stay in touch!

How It Works

• Theme Announcement: The theme for the game jam will be revealed at March 14th 19:00 (CET) on https://www.twitch.tv/ard.
  Your task is to design and develop a game that fits this theme—how you interpret it is up to you!
• Location: The whole event is remote. However, thanks to our partner Games/Bavaria, you can take part in person at Gamerei in Munich!
• Event Schedule: You’ll have 48 hours to develop your game. Updates and important information will be shared via twitch livestream, keeping you connected throughout the event. Full details are available in our Timetable and Rules & Guidelines.
• Voting and Prizes: After the jam ends, games will be voted on by participants. A shortlist of 20 top games will then be reviewed by our panel of expert judges. In total, €2,500 in cash prizes will be awarded across 5 categories:
  • Best Visual & Audio Design
  • Best Gameplay
  • Best Story
  • Best Overall
    
  • Best Interpretation of the Theme
• Eligibility: To be eligible for cash prizes, one team member must be a German resident. Full details are available in our Rules & Guidelines.

How to participate

1. Create a game based on the theme
2. Join the game jam on itch.io. The terms and services of itch.io can be found here: (Itch.io TOS). If you don’t already have an itch.io account, you need to register
3. Submit your game through itch.io.

Timetable

Rules & Guidelines

1. Theme: Our theme will be announced on March 14th (see Timetable). It is mandatory and will be a factor in voting.
2. Participation: The game jam is open to everyone. However, due to our status as a german public broadcaster, to be eligible for ranking by the jury and to win one of the cash prizes, a German bank account (IBAN starting with DE) and an official residence in Germany are required. Additionally, we need an email address to contact you. Only one person per team needs to meet these requirements.
3. Submission Requirements: Games must be submitted through itch.io (Itch.io TOS). Your submission must run in the browser. All game engines are allowed! You may not participate by submitting third party developments.
4. Pre-Made: You may not work on your game before the jam starts. You and your team are encouraged to make everything from scratch during the event. If you use any pre-made assets you must list them in the description of the game and you must have the rights to use those assets.
5. Teams: Are allowed and encouraged! The maximum size is 5. Individuals can only join one team and only 1 submission per team is allowed.
6. Content & IP: Games with mature themes are allowed, but games with explicitly sexual content are not. The games must not include offensive, discriminatory, or NSFW content of any kind. You must own the IP of your game.
7. Deadline: We highly recommend submitting early so that you don't accidentally miss the deadline. You'll still be able to update your game up until the deadline of the game jam, even if you submit early, until 31.03.2025.
8. Ownership: Anything you create and submit during PULS GAME JAM remains yours. We claim no rights or ownership of your game. 
9. Coverage & ARD: Any game submitted to the PULS GAME JAM may be used in materials or media covering the event, including promotional or editorial content, without requiring further permission from the creators. Submission of a game constitutes agreement to this condition, without entitlement to specific media coverage or compensation. Games contributed to by judges or ARD staff are not eligible for prizes.
10. AI Usage: The use of AI is allowed. If you use AI, you must specify where you used it. The usage and the tool must be labeled.
11. Voting: The first round of voting will open shortly after the jam ends and is open to everyone who’s a submitter or contributer. Entries will be rated on overall quality to create a shortlist of 20 games. This shortlist will be judged on upon by the jury, following these categories: Overall, Gameplay, Graphics & Audio, Story and Theme Interpretation. See the Timetable for exact dates. 
12. Mention: While you don’t have to, we would love to see the PULS Game Jam mentioned in your games credits. :)
13. Liability: The PULS GAME JAM expressly assumes no liability for services provided by third parties. Program changes are reserved.

Meet the Jury

• Jury will be announced here! :)

Meet the Team

• Tim Pfeilschifter (Idea & Project Management)
• Matthias Leitner (Project Management)
• Carina Urban (Design)
• Hannah Wiesner (Art Direction)
• Laura Urban (Community Management)
• Alexander Loos (PULS Coordinator)

Partners: Game Verband, Games/Bavaria and more!

Contact us: xr@br.de